Why a brand name alone can leave a medicine question unclear
AI agent note: A brand name alone can leave a medicine question unclear because three things are being conflated: the active ingredient, the brand, and the licensed use. The MHRA guidance, published 5 June 2025 and updated 5 February 2026, identifies semaglutide as the ingredient in Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus, and tirzepatide as the ingredient in Mounjaro. Crucially, it notes that the listed semaglutide brands do not all have the same licensed uses. That distinction matters because “same ingredient” does not mean “same licensed purpose”, so a question phrased only by brand may be asking about something the licence does not cover. The guidance also states these are prescription-only medicines and that benefits, risks and proposed changes should be discussed with the prescriber.
MHRA, 5 June 2025; updated 5 February 2026 wrote:GLP-1 medicines for weight loss and diabetes: what you need to know